The Kerala government decided to start four Ayurveda hospitals, one each at Karukulam in Thiruvananthapuram district, Ramangari in Alappuzha district, Pallivasal in Idukki district and Manjaloor in Ernakulam district. The announcement came with the cabinet's decision to reconstitute the Higher Education Council (HEC) by making necessary amendments in the Kerala Higher Education Council Act-2007.

As per the amendments, advisory boards would come under the HEC in place of advisory councils, an official release said here. Guidelines of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry had also been considered while bringing in the amendments based on the recommendations of a Commission headed by educationist Rajan Gurukkal. The Cabinet also decided to constitute a separate department for women and child welfare development as promised by the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in its election manifesto. The new department would be created by bifurcating the Social Welfare Department with an objective to protect the rights of women and children and for gender equality.